Brakenhale Whole School Curriculum Intent

 

"Where everyone aims high; to foster a culture of kindness and responsibility, through the delivery of the curriculum by generative learning; enabling all our students to be prepared for success within and beyond the classroom.”

 

At Brakenhale School, our curriculum aims to ensure that our students develop the knowledge, skills and empathy to be successful within and beyond the classroom. The curriculum challenges our students to think critically, to foster independence; and to seek to develop their knowledge in order to make strong progress in their learning. 

Our curriculum is securely sequenced across all subjects; meeting the requirements of the key stage 3 national curriculum, key stage 4 and 5 specifications. The curriculum is designed to stretch and challenge students and reinforces and revisits prior learning, following a sequential and interleaved approach. Our learners incrementally build their knowledge and skills throughout their learning journey at Brakenhale school, deliberately aspiring to extend scholarship in all subjects beyond Key Stage 5. It is therefore both ambitious and inclusive, and aims to develop in students a deep awareness of their learning and understanding that supports them in any and all of their future successes. 

Our curriculum is knowledge rich, because we understand that a strong knowledge base will act as a gateway to other subjects, topics and disciplines. The curriculum ensures learners are taught how to have impact with knowledge; how to communicate knowledge and understanding, how to quantify and conclude and how to critically analyse and evaluate. The curriculum is designed, and continually developed to be rich with contexts and themes that are relevant to our learners.

We ensure that our students have the opportunity to develop a love of reading; for example, through our Tutor Time Reading Programme, and have ample opportunity to develop their reading and writing skills in lessons with frequent deliberate practice lesson phases. Students study a wide range of subjects in the classroom and have access to a wealth of opportunities to enhance their learning outside of the classroom through home learning, extra curricular activities and beyond-school experiences. This facilitates the development of each student’s cultural capital and helps them to prepare for their future successes in life beyond Brakenhale. These encompass experiences as varied as university visits, lectures from leading professionals in industry, theatre groups, artist visits, internships and international visits.

All students receive Religious Education, Personal Social and Health Education lessons across their seven years at Brakenhale, including Relationships and Sex Education. Career advice and guidance takes place across all years with students working through the Gatsby benchmarks. Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural education and Fundamental British Values are embedded into the curriculum and delivered through all subjects, as well as regular Personal Development Drop Down Days. As such, our students develop the character, resilience and cultural awareness to become successful, kind and engaged global citizens. 

Should you have any questions about our curriculum please do not hesitate to contact us:

Mr A Smith, Deputy Headteacher: asmith@brakenhale.co.uk

Mrs G Powell, Assistant Headteacher: gpowell@brakenhale.co.uk

September 2023

 

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To view our Curriculum Statement, please visit our School Policies and Documents page.